Photographic print drying machine



Dec. 29, 1931. 1:; LONG' I 1,839,105

. I PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINT DRYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1930 3 Shee ts-Sheet l INVENTO R ATTORNEY l M. E. LQNG PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DRYING MACHINE Filed Jan. "22, 1950 5 sheets sheet 2 Ma'ZZardZZTLoy f lNVENTOR ATT'ORNEY Dec. 2 9, 1931. M 5; LONG 1,839,105

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DRYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY ing photographic printsand the like,

ence will be had to Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED, STATESPATENT OFFKiE MILLARD E. LONG, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T0 CARL D. NEWTON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS PHOTOGBAPHIC PRINT DRYING IMAGHINE Application filed ll'anuary 22, 1930. Serial No. 422,648.

This invention relates to a machine for dry i318 general object of the invention being to provide an endless belt on'which the wet prints are placed, means for causing the belt to pass through a chamber and meansfor subjecting the prints to hot air as the belt passes through the chamber, whereby the prints will be dried. p

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of rollers, formed of suitable material, preferably witha soft rubber cover, and between which the belt, with the wet prints thereon, passes, before entering the chamber, so that moisture is pressed from the prints, these rollers also acting to impart movement to the belt. v

A further object of the invention is to providea nozzle through which heated air is forced by a fan, the nozzle being so formed that the velocity of the air current is reduced and directed evenly over the width of' the belt so as to dry the prints without blowing them off the belt.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describingthe invention in detail, referthe accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention, with parts in section.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. T V

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4c is a sectional view showing the combined wringer and driving rollers.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a frame formed of metaljbars or other suitable material and the numeral 2 indieates'a casing or housing supportedon the frame at the top thereof. This casing or housing has curved ends with an inlet opening 3 at its front end and in the bottom thereof and an outlet opening 4: at the other end.

Anumber of large rollers 5 are rotatably arranged in the casing and a number of large rollers 6 are rotatably supported by the frame below the casing. An endless belt 7, formed of metal with a smooth outer face, passes over these rollers and through the inlet and outlet openings. A pair of combined wringer and drive rollers 8 are supported on the frame between the inlet opening and one of the large rollers, and the belt passes between these rollers 8 on its way to the inlet opening.

The bearings for the outer roll are slidably arranged in the slotted members 9, and these bearings are adjustable by means of the set screws 10 so that the outer roll can be adjusted toward and from the inner roll to increase or decrease the grip of the rollson the belt. One of these rolls is driven from a motor 11 through the shaft 12 which is belted to the motor shaft, and the chain and sprockets, shown generally at 13, which connect the shaft to one of the rolls. Thus the rolls are driven from the motor and these rolls impart motion to the belt and the large rollers so that the belt is caused to pass through the casing. As the wet prints are placed onthe belt below the small rolls, these rolls also act as a'wringer to remove excess moisture from V.

theprints before they enter the casing. A belt tightener roll 14s is adjustably supported by the lower part of the frame and engages.

the lower reach of the belt.

An air heater 15 is supported by the lower part of the frame and a pipe 16 connects this heater with the inlet of a fan 17, which is driven from a motor 18. A pair of pipes 19 receive the heated air from the fan and lead it to a nozzle 20 arranged in the front end of the casing above the inlet opening and so positioned as to direct the air upwardly into the space between the curved front end of the casing and a part of the belt so that the air current contacts the prints on the belt. The air then passes along through the top of the casing where it contacts the upper reach of the belt and then the air is drawn through the pipe 21 back into the. heater by the suction of the fan. Thus the the prints on prints are thoroughly dried before they pass through the outlet opening 4 and they are removed from the belt before they pass with the belt over the rear roller 6. I prefer to so arrange the upper and lower rollers .1 and (5 that the front and rear reaches of the belt are diagonally arranged, as shown in Figure 1, so as to facilitate the placing of the prints on the belt and their removal therefrom.

Thenozzle 20 comprises an enlarged chamber 20 which acts to reduce the velocity of the air flowing into the same from the pipes 19, and the baffles 22 whicn are of gradually increasing length from the center to the ends. These bellies act to evenly distribute the air ver the width of tne belt. he arrangement and construction of the nozzle is such that the air will contact all parts of the prints held on the belt by their moisture contents without blowing the prints off the belt. Of course, if desired, but one pipe may be used to deliver the air from the fan into the nozzle. The baffles must be so arranged with respect to the delivery pipe or pipes to give the air passing into the casing a uniform speed.

A fresh air inlet 23 is arranged in the pipe 21 and is controlled by a damper 24. Thus fresh air can be admitted into the pipe 21 and passed through the heater. This does not reduce the effective working temperature for the drying of the prints, but this fresh air will reduce the humidity of the heated air and thus render the same more effective in drying the prints.

A vent 26, provided with a damper 27, is arranged in the rear part of the casing to allow the overheated or over-saturated air to pass to the atmosphere.

The heater may be of any desired type, but the drawings show it as a gas heater controlled by a thermostat 25.

Thus it will be seen that when the device is in operation, prints placed on the belt below the driving rolls 8 will pass through the rolls and excess moisture will be pressed therefrom. Then the prints pass into the casing, where they are subjected to the heated air from the nozzle so that the prints will be dry when they pass from the casing and they are removed from the belt before they pass with the belt around tire rear roller 6.

lVith this invention, a great number of prints can be easily and quickly dried as it is simply necessary to place the prints on the belt at one end of the device and remove the dried prints from the belt at the other end of the device.

lVhile the drawings show four rollers for supporting the belt, it will be understood that any desired number of such rollers may be used and any suitable means may be used for operating the device other than the motor shown.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the combination and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

, What I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a casing having an inlet opening at one end andan outlet opening at the other end, rollers in the casing, rollers supported adjacent the casing, an endless belt passing over the rollers and through the inlet and outlet openings, a pair of combined wringer and driving rolls arranged adjacent the inlet opening and between which the belt passes, whereby the belt is driven and prints thereon pressed onto the belt and excess moisture removed from the prints, means for driving said rolls and means for introducing heated air into the casing, said belt being formed of metal with its outer face smooth.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a casing on the upper part thereof having an inlet opening at one end and an outlet opening at its other end, rollers located in the casing, rollers supported by the frame below the casing, an endless belt formed of metal passing over the rollers and through the openings, a pair of combined wringer and driving rolls arranged to engage the belt before it passes into the casing, means for driving said rolls and means for introducing heated air into the front part of the casing and withdrawing it from the top part of the rear of the casing.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a casing on the upper part thereof having an inlet opening at one end and an outlet opening at its other end, rollers located in the casing, rollers supported by the frame below the casing, an endless belt formed of metal passing over the rollers and through the openings, a pair of combined wringer and driving rolls arranged to engage the belt before it passes into the casing, means for driving said rolls and means for introducing heated air into the front part of the casing and withdrawing it from the top part of the rear of the casing, such means comprising a heater, a fan for drawing air from the heater and delivering it into the front end of the casing and pipes connecting the heater with the top rear part of the casing.

4. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a casing on the upper part thereof having an inlet opening at one end and an outlet opening at its other end, rollers located in the casing, rollers supported by the frame below the casing, an endless belt formed of metal passing over the rollers and through the openings, a pair of combined wringer and driving rolls arranged to engage the belt before it passes into the casing, means for driving saidrolls, means for introducing heated air into the front part of the easing and Withdrawing it from the top part of the rear of the casing, such means comprising a heater, a fan for drawing air from the heater and delivering it into the front end of the casing, pipes connecting the heater with the top rear part of the casing, adjustable means for introducing adjustable means at the rear of the casing for the escape of overheated or over-saturated air.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MILLARD E. LONG.

fresh air into the heater and 

